JOIN USLate on Saturday night, a building collapsed. A couple of casualties are feared in the mishap.The sea along the Tamil Nadu coast right up to Kanyakumari was rough amid squally weather accompanied by strong winds. Normal life was thrown out of gear in most districts, including Chennai.
The depression is likely to intensify further and move north-westwards towards Lakshadweep and the south-east Arabian Sea, off the Karnataka coast, in the next 24 hours, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre here.
The wind speed along the South Tamil Nadu coastline and the neighbouring areas of Kerala may touch 55-60 km per hour, the Met office said. Fishermen from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala have been asked not to venture into sea in the next 48 hours.
The “local cautionary signal” has been hoisted in all ports of South Tamil Nadu, including Mandapam near Rameshwaram, Kerala and Minicoy port. This apart, the Met Office also directed local authorities to hoist the “distant cautionary signal No 1” at Karwar, Mangalore, Panambur and Honovar ports in Karnataka. Hundreds of boats are feared to have perished in the heavy wind off the Kanyakumari coast, while the water level in the main reservoirs of South Tamil Nadu are rising fast. During the last 24 hours, Uthiramerur in Kancheepuram district recorded a rainfall of 20 cm, followed by Maduranthakam with19 cm.
Similar situation prevailed in Nilgiris district where hundreds of trees were uprooted along with electricity and telecommunication poles. Some of the villages in the district have been marooned.
Coastal districts like Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Nagapattinam and Tirunelveli were inundated. Vehicular traffic has been paralysed in several parts of Chennai as roads have flooded by continuous downpour.